Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-10-06

and understand me. You must remember
that you have seen nothing and have heard
nothing"
mo, mammal shall have seen nothing,
and shall have heard nothing"
twas no longer that silvery, sweet voice
of child; it was the grave voice Of the
mother. Suddenly aged by horrible spec
tacle, the child recognized clearly the whole
Of her future and its significance.
"You will never say anythingp'
Nothing, ever, mamma"
"Never, If you love your poor mother,
never tell what you have seen, what you have
heard, no matter what threats, prayers or
temptations are brought to bear upon youa"
"Never, except on your order, mother"
She called her another" now; the child was
no longer baby 70 say mamma"
"That Is right; and may God have pity OH
your feebleness and innocence, however hard
he may strike me-"
She did not weep, though tho nervous sobs,
strangled in her throat, nearly stified her.
Still she had strength to close the window,
and on returning toward her bed she saw that
her maid, dumb and frightened, was still
there. Henrietts thought she must faint, but
gathered force enough to say:
"You can go, Victoria. will put Suzanne
to bed myself"
MADAME, did you not see, not heart There.
Near us, very near
"Whats What was It'll"
"A pistol shot"
"You are crazy. Leave usn
Excuse me, madame, but thought heard
one"
Victoria went out trembling, and Henriette
happened to glance in her glass. She drew
back in alright. SO terrible was her own ap-
pearance. AT this instant she heard a stified
groan and turning she found Suzanne ON the
carpet in commissions She sprang to the
child, and lifting her in her arms caressed her
with q wild delirium of love and terror.
"My child, my darling child, oh, DO calml
do not be afraid am here. Oh, my babyi
what shall doa"
But Suzanne, shaken by violent hysteria,
heard nothing Henrietta used all the means
in her power to restore the child, but the con-
vulsions continued for a long time-an eter-
nifty it seemed to the stricken mother. At
last the commissions ceased and the child re-
gained consciousness, and looking her mother
in the eyes repeated with her dry little lips:
"No, mother; l shall have seen nothing;
shall have heard nothingn
And they wept in each others embrace.
Suddenly they both shivered and rose to-
gether; but Suzanne did not let go her clasp
about her. mothers waist. The gate which
led from the lawn to tbs Rue de Versailles
was creaking on its hinges. Steps were heard
upon the gravel walk; key turned in the
lock of the front door.
at is he" murmured Henrietta.
Suzanne held her arms clasped still moro
tightly around her mothers waist 1t was
Roger Laroque. Henriette knew his step,
and hastily put out the lamp, leaving only
the night light burning, and staggering to
hk door, locked it. She trembled lest he
should come into her presence. They listened
with bated breath to the steps coming nearer,
and which stopped at last before their door,
and in the midst Of the death like silence they
heard distinctly his breath, coming in heavy
gasps rs II he had run until almost breathless.
They heard his hands as he felt about trying
the door, and they heard him knock softly,
and voice said:
@Henriette, Henriette; are you asleep"
The mother and child stood together
clasped In wild embrace, their eyes riveted
on that corner Of the room as IL death had
awaited them there. They took care not to
make sound, and even the mother placed
her hand upon the child's lips. Roger, think
ing that they were asleep, retired softly, care
his wife and at the other extremity Of the
parlor was his own room, and he entered it.
Every sound ceased. Everything seemed to
sleep. Only quarter Of an hour ago these
two had been on the balcony, happy and inn
| patient to see Roger. And now three lives
were wrecked in that short space.
Midnight sounded, and at last / o'clock.
| Henrietta did not try even to sleep. She sat
| silent and overcome in the chair beside the
bed of her child, and at last, thinking that
| Suzanne slept, she turned her gaze toward
her, and seeing the eyes closed thought that
the poor little thing had forgot her fear and
horror, at least for a time.
"Oh, my Godi" whispered she, Shave pity
| upon that poor innocent one"
She then rose softly and crept to the door
and opened it slightly ard listened. There
was no sound. She crcpt like a shadow into
the parlor and took few steps forward, but
suddenly stopped behind the piano. as she saw
| that Rogers door was wide open, and by the
1 light of lamp she could see him seated, pale
| and distressed, with his head leaning upon
| his hands His face was convulsed, his eyes
fixed and his hair and beard In wild disorder.
| Roger was so years old; at this instant he
looked so. On the bureau, within reach of
his hand, lay small revolver, the revolver
| which had triumphed over the last agony OK
| N. Larouette And the lamp burned on with
its steady flame, giving this spectacle to the
| watching wife.
Henrietta looked, absorbing every detail Of
| this final picture, when suddenly she felt be
tween her locked fingers cold little hand,
| and turning found that Suzanne had arisen
| from her bed and that she, too, was watching.
Hidden thus behind the piano they did not
lose sight Of Laroqus an instant
All at once, as If his thoughts were too
dreadful to bear, bel rose and began pacing
his room with uncertain, staggering steps.
| Often, even, he took hold of something to
keep himself from falling. At last he stopped
before the bureau, and hid his face In his
| hands One would have thought that he
| wept Was it remorsei
Then he let his hands fall and reached and
took the revolver, cooked it and held it ready
| In his left hand, while with the other he I'M
buttoned his redingote threw aside the cape,
opened his vestments, leaving bare his breast.
| Then, without tremor, Replaced the muzzle
| of the pistol to his heart and with his finger
| on the trigger stood an instant, but he dared
| not complete his impious act and he threw
the pistol back on the bureau.
! And then Roger threw himself into a chair
and continued his train of thought, while
| Henriette caught Suzanne as she tainted and
carried her back into her room, and he heard
nothing The night passed thus Henrietta
did not go TO bed. Suzanne lay in her cot,
but without sleeping, for her eyes remained
wide open until morning, keeping always
| their expression OF horror.
About o'clock Henriette dressed herself,
and afterward disordered her bed, the pillows
and all, to not awaken Victoria's suspicious,
and to cause her TO believe that she had
slept She must dissemble. She could not
do otherwise. She would be obliged to leave
her room and meet her husband, speak to
him, smile even, that he might not suspect
that she had witnessed his crime. And even
| while dressing Suzanne, she felt a force un-
known, superhuman, which obliged her to go
out on that fatal balcony. and look towards